Hungerford Town manager Ian Herring will reach a century of matches in charge at Bulpit Lane when Hampton & Richmond Borough visit on Saturday in the Vanarama National League South.
The former Swindon Town and Salisbury City midfielder was player/manager at the Crusaders when he first took over the reins alongside Jon Boardman in 2017.
Herring guided Hungerford, one of the smallest towns to host a National League side, to safety last season securing a fourth successive terms as a step 2 club.
The Crusaders boss’s first game as joint manager with Boardman was a on Saturday 26th August, a 3-2 defeat at home to Gloucester City and he was put in sole charge after a 2-0 defeat away to Havant & Waterlooville on 17th February 2018.
A run of three postponements held up that debut fixture but Herring eventually took charge on Saturday 10th March, a 1-1 draw at home to Chelmsford City followed by a 3-1 win over St Albans City.
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Speaking to Football in Berkshire, Herring highlighted player development as one of the highlights of his time in charge at the club.
He said: “The players the we’ve brought in, either loan or permanent who have progressed to a higher level has been a highlight. Alfie Kilgour [playing first team football at Bristol Rovers], Cam Hargreaves [Rovers], Michael Luymbala [Birmingham City], Marvel Ekpiteta who was the first ever Hungerford player to be sold [to Newport County in the summer] and Alfy Whittingham [Aldershot Town].”
Herring added the successful escape from last season was something special as well. The Crusaders lost just two of their final 10 games of the season, a run that included a 1-0 win at champions Torquay United and a final day point at East Thurrock United.
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